Latest Legislation Headlines
All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Oklahoma Commissioner Disappointed in Denial of MLR Waiver Request
Jan 5 2012 // Oklahoma’s top insurance regulator believes the medical insurance market is headed for “disruption” as a result of the medical loss ratio component of federal health insurance reform After...
Insurance Veterans’ Forecasts for 2012
Jan 5 2012 // Now that the year 2011 is behind us, let’s take a look at what might be ahead. Insurance Journal spoke with leading industry professionals and asked them what they are expecting this year. If their forecasts are any...
Western Insurance Agents Roundtable Discussion Highlights
Jan 5 2012 // Rancho Cordova, Calif.-based WIAA Education & Research Foundation, a nonprofit corporation focused on advancing knowledge of insurance industry professionals, hosted a recent roundtable discussion on the industry and...
President Obama Signs Pipeline Safety, Airport Security Bills
Jan 5 2012 // President Barack Obama has signed legislation to toughen oil and gas pipeline regulations and another to ease airport security procedures for members of the military on official travel. The president signed the legislation...
Judge Tosses $322M Mississippi Asbestos Lawsuit Verdict
Jan 5 2012 // A Mississippi judge has thrown out a $322 million lawsuit verdict that had been hailed as the largest asbestos award for a single plaintiff in U.S. history. The case began to unravel last year after defense lawyers asked...
Wyoming Officials Say Mandatory Drunk Driving Law Gaining Acceptance
Jan 4 2012 // After a bit of a rocky start, law enforcement officials and prosecutors around the state say they’re now running into few problems with Wyoming’s new mandatory DUI (driving under the influence) testing...
Hawaii Lawmakers Calling Alcohol Ignition Locks Success
Jan 3 2012 // Hawaii officials say a state law requiring convicted drunk drivers to prove they are sober before their cars will start has been successful in its first year. State Rep. Sharon Har told Hawaii News Now on Saturday the...
New Georgia Law Requires Safety Features on Golf Carts
Dec 29 2011 // Golf cart owners in Georgia will soon have stricter requirements to follow if they plan to drive their carts on roadways. A new law taking effect Jan. 1 creates a separate classification of personal transportation vehicles...
Feds Throw Obstacle at Oregon Health Exchange
Dec 28 2011 // A clearer picture is surfacing of a new health insurance marketplace intended to help individuals and small businesses shop for health coverage. A preliminary business plan projects that more than 280,000 Oregonians will...
Judge Rules BP Not Negligent in Alaska Spill
Dec 28 2011 // A federal judge ruled that BP was not negligent in the case of a 2009 oil spill and did not violate the terms of its probation from an earlier accident thus escaping further punishment. The decision is a victory for the...
Hawaii Supreme Court Rules ‘Known or Obvious Danger’ Defense Not Viable
Dec 27 2011 // The Hawaii Supreme Court has ruled the “known or obvious danger” defense is no longer viable under state law as a complete bar to an injured plaintiff’s premises liability claim. Michele R. Steigman...
Judge: NYC Taxi Agency Must Help Disabled Riders
Dec 27 2011 // A federal judge has barred New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission from issuing permits for taxicabs unless they’re accessible to people with disabilities. Advocates for the disabled say it’s a...
Utah Lawmaker Wants Out Of Daylight Saving Program
Dec 27 2011 // One Utah lawmaker wants to pull the plug on daylight saving time. The Deseret News of Salt Lake City reports Republican Rep. Jim Nielson of Bountiful plans legislation that lets Utah opt out of the semiannual changing of...
Alaska Law Meant To Ban Texting While Driving Challenged
Dec 27 2011 // Alaska’s intended ban on texting while driving is facing a legal challenge, with a magistrate in Kenai saying the Legislature should have been explicit if they truly meant to prohibit the activity. The decision this...
New York Judge: Iran, Taliban, al-Qaida Liable for 9/11
Dec 27 2011 // A federal judge has signed a default judgment finding Iran, the Taliban and al-Qaida liable in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Judge George Daniels in Manhattan signed the judgment last Thursday, a week after hearing...
Jones Clears Way for California’s ‘Principally At-Fault’ Regulations
Dec 21 2011 // California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones on Wednesday announced the final approval of amended regulations that simplify the requirements for determining whether a driver is principally at-fault (PAF) for an accident,...
Michigan Governor Signs Unemployment, Workers’ Comp Legislation
Dec 21 2011 // Michigan employers are likely to save money on unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation under changes signed into law on Dec. 19 by Gov. Rick Snyder. Critics, though, said the moves could make it more...
For Florida Gov. Scott, Insurance Fixes Are Legislative Priority
Dec 21 2011 // Gov. Rick Scott wants lawmakers to fix a pair of auto and property insurance issues that are costing Floridians hundreds of millions of dollars but have eluded resolution for more than a decade. The issue facing the...
Swiss Re Sees Continued Emerging Market Growth; Profitability Squeeze
Dec 20 2011 // Insurance in emerging markets has “experienced strong growth over the past decade and the outlook for the next decade remains promising,” a Swiss Re sigma study concludes. However, it also notes that...
Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Doak Has Had a Full Plate in 2011
Dec 19 2011 // In his first year as insurance commissioner of Oklahoma, John Doak has been a busy man. Doak and the agency he leads have had their hands full implementing reforms in the workers’ compensation system, dealing with a...
